Milan- Rawte Brothers Book 1

5. Burning flames

As the blazing fire rose up reflecting its majestic flames in his eyes. The sizzling, crackling,flickering incasedent fire caused havoc in his heart. Atharv couldn't move his eyes away from the pyre which was ablaze. He looked around only to see a lot of white worned people surrounding the pyre. Some looking morse and some faking to be. It was his supposedly grandfather's funeral. He saw his mother looking at the burning body with gravious expression on her face. But another thing which he noticed was their grandmother silently shedding tears. Atharv for the first time felt like sympathizing with her. He knew she was behaving very cold towards his mother but then that was the same reaction his brother was giving. He was too innocent and a child to realise the fact that what his brother was reacting was a self-preservation instinct but what Mrs. Rawte was giving was a pure hateful reaction. The next minute he found himself following her when she went inside the house.

When he reached the hall he found her getting unbalanced. Being concerned he rushed to help her and held her till she was stable. She looked at the person who saved her but she felt anger and disgust seeping inside her the moment she saw the face.

Parvati-"Tu yaha kya kar raha hai aur teri himmat kaise hue hamare pass bi aane ki."

Atharv ignoring the insult- "Main bas apki madad karne aaya tha, app thik toh haina Dadi."

Parvati-"Chup kar samjha mujhe tujh jaise sadakchap ki madad ki koi zaroorat nahi hai."

Atharv sighing-"Why do you hate me or us so much Dadi."

Parvati-"Nahi hoon main teri Dadi samjha tu."

Athrav-"Apke ya mere kehne say rishte toh khatam nahi ho jayenge."

Parvati-"Kaise rishte ki baat kar raha hai tu haan kya pata ki tu mere Dinu ka hi beta hai ha ya Teri Ma jhoot bol rahi, kya pata kiske Ganda khoon mere pavitra mandir m-"

Atharv furiously- "Bas Dadi just because main aap ko palat kar jawab nahi de raha doesn't give you the right to go over my Mother."

Parvati mocking- "Are Ma ko bola toh itna gussa kya hua aren't you liking this, yeh kisi aur key Ghar main aakar muffat main rehne aur unki roti khane. Sharam nahi aati tujhe"

Atharv firmly- "Yeh Mera bhi toh Ghar hai aur main kisi paraye ke ghar nahi ruk raha apne ghar par hoon aur phir bhi apko problem hai toh aapko yeh shayad patah nahi par main toh Bina sharam ke hi paida hua tha"

Parvati gasped in shock. She was surely shocked at his audacity but more than that she was shocked because she had seen this same scene replay before. But if she was right in her guess then she knows a way to break the confidence. She wasn't sure but she would certainly try. No harm in trying.

Parvati composing herself- "Oh really Atharv apna ghar toh bol kon tera apna hai yaha siwaye tere Ma ki jo khud parayi hai aur phir kon tera wo bhai jisne tujhe muh utha ke dekha abhi tak. Bol kya hua. Ghar toh apno say hota hai, kon hai Tera apna yaha bata."

She smirked slightly seeing hurt on his face. So she was right. In a way these brothers were the same. They had only weaknesses. Their brother. She thought this one would be different but turned out he was just like the other two. She very well knew what to do. She was about to say something when a guest interrupted their conversation before she could do more damage. She silently left as if she just didn't hurt an innocent kid for her own vicious ways.

------------------------------(/)----------------------------

To say Atharv was hurt would be the truth. Even though they had their first conversation but it was clear as daylight that they were not still comfortable with each other. The stance his brother had clearly screamed unacceptance.